Plans Underway for New Pedestrian Bridge

By [Laura Shin] Plans to replace the decaying East 81st Street Pedestrian Bridge over the FDR Drive are moving forward as the city"s Department of Design and Construction (DDC) finalizes a design for a new bridge. â??Our task was to create a link that is navigable by everyone, whether you are riding a bike, whether you have a disability or whether you"re running, said Drew Jones, an architect for the project, at a Transportation Committee meeting Dec. 1. Jones and DDC representatives presented renderings for the new bridge, which is in its final design stages. The DDC presented a similar plan a couple years ago, but community members were concerned about the length of the ramp on the esplanade end of the bridge. Jones said they have shortened the ramp from 550 feet to 400 feet. â??This is a far better design than what we saw last time, said Judy Schneider, co-chair of the Parks Committee, at the meeting. The ramp also has â??flat spots so that people can stop on their way up or down and enjoy the view of the river, Jones said. Jones said the aim of the design is to keep it â??light so it is not visibly obtrusive, especially from Roosevelt Island. The bridge is mostly white and stainless steel. â??We"re really striving to give a nice user experience for people on the bridge and to give a nice element for people looking at the bridge, Jones said. The design also includes plans for landscaping under the ramp to beautify the area. Grating on the sides of the ramp would allow rainwater to fall onto the landscaped areas, Jones said. Light fixtures have not been finalized, but Jones said they are planning for a light fixture that will light the path but not flash onto the cars or buildings. Bharat Parekh, director of the project at the DDC, said there is no definite timeframe, but it would take approximately nine months to finalize the design and have it reviewed. He said the Department of Transportation is already on board. Construction would begin sometime after current construction on the 78th Street Bridge is completed, Parekh said.